It it's anything
to do with cabaret, you'll probably read it here first!

It has been
a while since the last issue of CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE and I have
started getting emails from folks who think there is something wrong.
Not to worry. I have just been very busy restructuring the CABARET
HOTLINE ONLINE website (http://www.svhamstra.com/).
I urge you all to take a look - and send me your comments, advice,
etc. If you find a broken link, please let me know at once.

I have also
been busy adding banner ads to the site, and I hope you all will click
on a banner or two each time you visit, just to let my advertisers
know that their ads are seen and appreciated. Banners are available,
and are displayed randomly on nearly all 700+ pages of the website,
and if you want information about advertising, just send a note to
banners@svhamstra.com
with the single word "Banner" in the subject line. My computer will
automatically send you all the information.

I did take
my first peek at the website logs on Wednesday and was really happy
to find that we are now getting over 3000 visits each day - before
February 4th, we were only getting about 700 visits a day. In fact,
there was one day last week when there were nearly 4000 visits! Don't
forget, we add new pages to the website nearly every day. And the
reviewers and correspondents all over the USA and in Australian are
starting to send me their own "Picks of the Week" choices, which are
also posted on the opening page of CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE website
(http://www.svhamstra.com/)!

Speaking of
reviewers, Barb & Scott Siegel have graciously agreed to serve as
Chief New York City Reviewers on the new site - their first CABARET
HOTLINE ONLINE review is already posted. David M. Schwartz will be
covering Australia, Todd Shuman is our man in Chicago, and Wendy Kupferman
is our Boston reviewer, with Charles Wixson in San Francisco. Richard
Edgcomb will be covering Eastern Pennsylvania, and Art Hilgart will
continue to provide his jazz CD reviews. I am always looking for someone
to cover the Los Angeles area, so drop me a line if you are interested.
Of course I rely on all the readers of CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE to send
me their news and cabaret information.

We also have
our own resident poet, A. Nonymous, giving a lighthearted look at
cabaret in rhyme. Maryann Lopinto is back on staff, as well as a new
writer, David McMann, who calls himself a "cabaret gadfly." We look
forward to his first contribution soon.

I have added
a "search engine" to the website, meaning you can search for pages
on a particular topic. And please feel free to make use of the CABARET
HOTLINE ONLINE Message Board - no passwords, no membership, and absolutely
free!

The change
back to becoming an independent publication will mean fewer email
issues of CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE - this is pretty much a one-man operation
now, and there is just so much typing that these nimble fingers can
accomplish in one day, especially since I do not plan to cut back
on my cabaret-going. But any really important news will be found on
the opening page of the CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE website (http://www.svhamstra.com/),
so check it out each day.

I am off to
Miami tomorrow morning (Saturday, February 17th) to attend the wedding
of my niece, so there won't be any updates over the weekend. I had
to promise my sister Ann, who's daughter is the bride, that I would
not attend any cabaret shows while there. It is a family reunion type
of thing - first time I will be getting together with all three of
my sisters in about five or six years, and they have a complete schedule
of "family things" lined up for just about every hour that I am there!
I will fly back on Monday afternoon.

I actually
will arrive back just in time to catch a bit of Angela LaGreca's "Monday
Nite Madness" show at DON'T TELL MAMA (343 West 46th Street, NYC -
212-757-0788 - http://www.donttellmama.com/)
on Monday the 19th at 7:00 pm. Angela's guests are Joy Behar (TV's
THE VIEW), Jim Gaffigan (co-star of CBS' "Welcome to NY") and the
fabulous Karen Saunders (fresh from her critically-acclaimed show
at ARCI'S PLACE). Of course, Lenny Babbish will be at the piano, with
the overworked Leslie Foglesong on backup vocals if she feels like
it. Then I am off to a private party at CABARET@1050 (Tenth Avenue,
NYC - 212-956-9456)!

The BACK STAGE
Bistro Awards Gala kicks off Cabaret Month in New York City and this
year will be held on Monday, March 5th at THE SUPPER CLUB (240 West
47th Street, NYC - 212-921-1940), beginning with a reception at 5:00
pm with Jerry Scott at the piano, followed by the awards presentation
and show at 6:30 pm. BACK STAGE Editor-in-Chief Sherry Eaker is producing
and hosting the event along with Back Stage cabaret critics John Hoglund,
David Finkle, and Barbara & Scott Siegel. Comedian Jim David is guest
emcee, and the show is under the direction of Thomas Mills. I'll be
there with one or two special friends, and I hope to see many of my
readers there as well.

The Bistro
Awards Gala is the premiere cabaret awards show in NYC, and a limited
number of tickets are available at $60.00. You can purchase them at
the offices of BACK STAGE (770 Broadway, 6th Floor, NYC), by credit
card (646-654-5740) or via their website (http://www.backstage.com/).

Lynn DiMenna
is the host and producer of "Welcome to the Club," heard live on Fridays
from 6:00 to 7:00 pm on WRTN-FM (93.5) in the greater NYC area. The
show features music and interviews with many of Broadway, jazz and
cabarets' legends, hottest stars and brightest newcomers. Tonight's
guest will be Carol Woods, currently appearing at ARCI'S PLACE (450
Park Avenue South, NYC - 212-532-4370 - http://www.arcisplace.com/).
Recent guests have included Kaye Ballard, David Allyn, Sally Mayes,
Karen Oberlin, Scott Howard, Ron Ramsey and Alison Fraser. And more
good news! Our own Barbara and Scott Siegel will be contributing reviews
to "Welcome to the Club" on an alternating schedule with Lesley Alexander.

Speaking of
Scott Siegel, he is the writer, producer and host of two very exciting
shows planned for TOWN HALL (123 West 43rd Street, NYC) in the next
few weeks. On Monday, March 19th at 8:00 pm he will present "The Broadway
Musicals of 1943" with Sally Mayes, Heather Mac Rae and Jason Graae,
with numbers from OKLAHOMA, SOMETHING FOR THE BOYS, ZIEGFIELD FOLLIES,
ONE TOUCH OF VENUS, CARMEN JONES and other shows. Musical director
is Ross Patterson. Then on Monday, April 16th, also at 8:00 pm, Scott
will present "The Broadway Musicals of 1957" with Michele Pawk, Alix
Korey and Eric Michael Gillett, celebrating such musicals as WEST
SIDE STORY, THE MUSIC MAN, NEW GIRL IN TOWN, JAMAICA, COPPER & BRASS
and SHINBONE ALLEY. For more information check out http://www.the-townhall-nyc.org/.
Tickets are $35 and $30 - and if you look around town you may find
a flier which offers a 20% discount of order is placed before March
5th.

Speaking of
TOWN HALL (123 West 43rd Street, NYC), The 15th ANNUAL MAC AWARDS
SHOW, which sort of officially closes CABARET MONTH, will be held
on Sunday, April 1st at 7:30 pm at TOWN HALL. The show will feature
a special appearance by Rosemary Clooney, who will be honored with
the 2001 MAC Lifetime Achievement Award. Rosie O'Donnell and John
McDaniel will be honored with the 2001 MAC Board of Directors Award.
You can read all the details at the MAC website, including program
advertising at the MAC website (http://www.macnyc.com/).

Speaking of
MAC (Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs), there still seems
to be a bit of confusion about the rules for nominations on the preliminary
ballot. While everyone was told that the deadline for entering one's
name for the preliminary ballot was January 19th, I hear that MAC
officials and others were scurrying around, making phone calls, etc.
to try to line up a few more names for some categories a week or so
later! It seems that a number of folks either forgot or decided not
to enter their names for a MAC AWARD this year, and MAC needed to
"beef up" a few of the categories. Everyone was also told that all
who entered their names would appear on the preliminary ballot, but
now I hear that at least one performer was actually "screened" off
the ballot! Let's hope they get their act together in time for the
final ballot mailing!

You have only
two more chances to catch "BUTCH IT UP 2: Don't Ask, Don't Tell" at
THE DUPLEX (61 Christopher Street, NYC - 212-255-5438) - Mondays,
February 19th and 26th at 7:00 pm. The show features six men singing
songs traditionally sung by women, from Petula Clark to Dionne Warwick
and stars Chris Andersson, Steve Friday, Scott Gilmore, Steve Lavner,
Jeff Seabaugh and Craig Skelton. Conceived by Scott Gilmore & David
Leventhal and directed by David Leventhal, the show has Musical Direction
by Steve Friday and Steve Lavner.

The ASCAP
Musical Theatre Workshop in NY, under the direction of Stephen Schwartz,
is currently accepting submissions of the April/May 2001 program.
Deadline is March 16th. If you have a musical to submit, send a tape
of four songs with lyric sheets, plus a brief description of each
song as to its plot placement, plus a brief synopsis of the musical,
along with your biographical information (don't forget address and
phone number) to Michael A. Kerker c/o ASCAP, One Lincoln Plaza -
7th Floor, New York, NY 10023. Mark the label "Attn.: Musical Theatre
Workshop."

You have only
two more chances to catch "BUTCH IT UP 2: Don't Ask, Don't Tell" at
THE DUPLEX (61 Christopher Street, NYC - 212-255-5438) - Mondays,
February 19th and 26th at 7:00 pm. The show features six men singing
songs traditionally sung by women, from Petula Clark to Dionne Warwick
and stars Chris Andersson, Steve Friday, Scott Gilmore, Steve Lavner,
Jeff Seabaugh and Craig Skelton. Conceived by Scott Gilmore & David
Leventhal and directed by David Leventhal, the show has Musical Direction
by Steve Friday and Steve Lavner.

Barbara Good
is back at the STIFEL FINE ARTS CENTER (1330 National Road, Wheeling,
WV - 304-242-7700) this Saturday night, February 17th with the 5th
on her 3rd series of "Wine, Women & Songs" shows for America's oldest
arts organization - The Oglebay Institute. The show is called "Grammy
Greats. And on March 24th she is back with "More Crooner's Tunes."

Friday, March
9th is the date of "A Cabaret Celebration II" presented by the DC
Cabaret Network and Arlington Arts. The show will feature a number
of DC's most accomplished cabaret performers including Terri Allen,
Wendy Lane Bailey, Doug Bowles, Bev Cosham, Russel Fox, and Tim Tourbin.
They will be joined by special guest host, MAC award winning performer
Richard Skipper as Carol Channing. DC favorite George Fulginiti-Shakar
provides musical direction. The show begins at 8:00 PM at the SPECTRUM
THEATRE (1601 Kent Street, Rosslyn, VA). Tickets are $15.00 and may
be obtained by calling 703-218-6500 or by visiting http://www.tickets.com/.
I was at "A Cabaret Celebration I" last November, and hope to get
to DC for this one as well.

Meantime,
one of the folks I saw at the November celebration, Mark Brooker,
will be appearing at TWINS LOUNGE (5516 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington,
DC - 202-882-2523) on February 23rd and 24th. Mark is in the process
of celebrating his new CD called "Influences," and will be performing
songs from the CD during his sets at 9:30 & 11:30 pm.

David Sabella
was scheduled to appear at JUDY'S CHELSEA (169 Eighth Avenue, NYC
- 212-929-5410 - http://www.judyschelsea.com/)
this coming Sunday, March 24th at 8:30 pm, with a series of shows
to follow. Now it looks like this week's show will be the only one
- he got a call from the Los Angeles Opera, where they are performing
"Giulio Cesare" with David Daniels in the lead. It seems that his
understudy dropped out and David may have to fly out to cover the
role! We will give an update as soon as we can.

THE FIREBIRD
CAFE (363 West 46th Street, NYC - 212-586-0244 - http://www.firebirdrestaurant.com/)
saga seems to go on and on. There has been a notable lack of communication,
and absence of press information, and even no updated schedule from
this club for some time. Meantime, several acts originally booked
for the venue were cancelled, some performers had their dates cut
back, and at least one was told that their shows would be cancelled
if there were not at least 25 reservations. TIME OUT NY and the NY
TIMES both listed the wrong information last week for this week's
shows. Fortunately, I live a few doors down the street and can check
the window display of upcoming acts - but as of Tuesday, this also
was hopelessly out of date!

By the way,
today's (Friday, February 16th) NY POST contains no Jazz, Comedy or
Cabaret listings at all! Last Friday's listings were also lacking
these listings, but I assumed that all the extra Valentine's day ads
forced the POST to cut back the listings. Folks in the NYC area might
just want to drop the listings editor at THE POST a note: Calendar
Section, NY POST, 1211 Sixth Avenue, NY, NY 10036.

Save the date:
Lina Koutrakos and her band return to BOTTOM LINE (15 West 4th Street,
NYC - 212-228-6300) on Thursday, March 1st - details to follow!

The very delightful
Ida Zecco (with Jim Rice at piano) will be performing on Friday, February
23rd at THE SUPPER CLUB at STEFANO'S (Worcester, MA - 508-752-6660)
at 9:00 pm. This is the club that Boston-area cabaret performer Valerie
Sneade brought into being - and sells out nearly every show! You had
better get your reservation early for this one. The $20 cover includes
dessert and coffee, priority seating given to people having dinner.

Judy Stadt
will be performing at the HO-HO-KUS INN (One Franklin Turnpike, Ho-Ho-Kus,
NJ - 201-445-4115) on Sundays, February 25th and March 11th & 25th
from 7:30 to 10:30 pm. I used to live in that area, and they have
great Italian food - and even dancing. Check it out.

I am going
to see DC Anderson tonight at DON'T TELL MAMA (343 West 46th Street,
NYC - 212-757-0788 - http://www.donttellmama.com/)
- he has been performing every Friday at 11:00 pm this month, and
also introducing his new CD. For folks who can't stay out that late,
DC has added a performance at 3:00 pm on Sunday, February 25th at
THE HIGH SPIRITS ROOM at St. Famous Bakery (369 West 46th Street,
NYC - 212-245-6695), just down the street from MAMA'S.

DOWNSTAIRS
CABARET THEATRE (20 Windsor Street, Rochester, NY - 716-325-4370 -
http://www.downstairscabaret.com/)
is currently presenting I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE on
stage and this now they will be opening a new, second space (approximately
60 seats) where they will feature their Improv Company, as well as
cabaret acts and less commercial, issue-oriented dramas and new works.
Anne Marie Sanders is looking for cabaret acts and small shows to
play in the room. Just email her at ams@downstairscabaret.com
for information.

Stan Martin
will soon be back on the radio, with a new live show from ARCI'S PLACE
(450 Park Avenue South, NYC - 212-532-4370) called "STAN MARTIN ON
BROADWAY." It starts on March 2nd and will air at 3:00 pm on Fridays
on WRTN-FM (93.5) in Westchester. The first show will feature Ann
Hampton Callaway and Deborah Bean (Deborah is currently appearing
at ARCI'S PLACE on Mondays at 8:00 pm.

Tommy Femia's
guest tomorrow night at 11:00 pm (Saturday, February 17th) at his
JUDY GARLAND LIVE show at DON'T TELL MAMA (343 West 46th Street, NYC
- 212-757-0788 - http://www.donttellmama.com/)
is Eric Millegan from Broadway's JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. You had better
reserve early - the last few Saturday nights Tommy's show has sold
out. Scott Coulter is Tommy's guest on the 24th.

Well gang,
I have to quit now - and there is so much more news to tell! But if
I don't get this newsletter off right away, I won't have time to do
my laundry and pack my suitcase for the Miami trip tomorrow.

Meantime,
check out the CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE website (http://www.svhamstra.com/)
and send in those suggestions and ideas. The website and these email
newsletters are currently totally supported by the banner ads on the
website - CABARET HOTLINE ONLINE is now an independent entity, and
is no longer connected or supported by any organization.

Thanks to
all who sent in words of encouragement, and requested information
on placing banner ads. I would never be able to answer all the messages
personally, but I am grateful. I am now looking at a few more ideas
to raise funds so that I can continue to cover the cabaret scene -
not just here in NYC, but all over. I have even been looking into
the possibility of selling cabaret CDs on my website. More on this
soon.

Meantime,
don't tell my sister, but I am taking my trusty Apple Newton Emate
300 along, just in case some writing ideas enter my brain while on
the airplane or at the hotel. You can take me away from cabaret -
but you can't take cabaret away from me!

And that is
just about the way it was.

Hugs & Stuff,

STU

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